Question: Hi, Micki. I recently had a problem during a tutoring session, and I was hoping you could help me. My tutee and I were working on some math problems, and I busted out one of my tutor training techniques (i.e. not doing your tutee's homework).
I asked her whether or not the problems were part her upcoming take-home final, and she told me, "no," that they were practice problems sent home as a worksheet by her professor.
Well, during our next tutoring session she showed me her graded take-home test, and I was shocked! She had lied to me about the problems being practice problems, and had inadvertently gotten me to do a bunch of her math final for her.
Honestly, I'm ticked off at being duped, and feel like she cheated. When I asked her about it, she just laughed it off, said I was easy to fool, and started talking about the next math class she'll need help with.
Due to integrity issues, and feeling like our tutoring ethics don't mesh, I dropped her from my tutoring schedule. My question is: What should I do to make sure this doesn't happen again at one of my other tutoring sessions? Thanks!
- J.A., a ticked off tutor in VA
Answer: Hi, there, ticked off tutor. First of all, sorry to hear about your unpleasant tutoring situation. It is always tough when a tutee breaks the tutor-tutee trust that takes at least a few tutoring sessions to build. In this case, your tutee pretty much lied to you, and tricked you into doing her final exam - not cool, and it won't serve her well as she takes more math classes in the future.
Second, good for you staying ethical, trying to do the right thing, and looking elsewhere for tutoring clients. There are plenty of tutees who are willing to put in the time and effort learning new skills, and you will be better off working with people who care about academic integrity.
Now, on to your question. To prevent this kind of thing from happening during future tutoring sessions, try the following steps:
1. Try out a learning contract. As strange as it may sound, a learning contract often gives the tutor and tutee a more formal framework for tutoring sessions, keeps the tutee accountable for his or her actions, and serves as a reminder that certain behaviors are expected for a good learning/tutoring experience.
2. Talk to your tutee about why tutoring is not a homework service. It could be that your tutee doesn't understand why you won't do homework for them. Let your tutee know that by working problems (rather than just doing their homework), you are helping them learn a skill that they can take with them into the classroom. The skills they learn through tutoring will also be helpful later, when they need to build on that knowledge to master more advanced material.
3. Review the take-home tests and homework prior to starting each tutoring session. Let the tutee know that you will be looking at the test/homework before the session so that you will know what concepts you need to tutor. It is also a good idea to look over the test/homework after it is graded. Checking out the test/homework works well not only because you get to see exactly what problems are on there, but also because the tutee knows that you are aware of what is on the test/homework prior to tutoring. It will keep your tutee honest.
Good luck and, as always, happy tutoring!
~ Micki
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